The spruced-up Le Bouchon Bordelais serves up top-notch French cuisine just south of the river in a truly Gallic setting.

The Venue
Twenty years after Ian Stoppani opened his classic French Battersea brasserie, Le Bouchon Bordelais is still going strong and has tripled in size. Perched halfway up the rise on the left going towards Clapham, it sports an awning-covered large glass and red frontage with a small patio at the front with around a dozen tables to eat and drink at. Inside there’s a long room with a big mirror on the far wall and another dining room off that which, in turn, leads into the bar area. The kitchen is run by Eric Landeau, who worked under Michel Roux Junior at Le Gavroche and the restaurant recently went through a refurbishment to celebrate its 20th birthday.

The Atmosphere
If you get caught up watching rugby in the bar, the atmosphere can be raucous. Otherwise this is a classic French brasserie, with well-mannered service and the food to match. With bon viveur Stoppani in charge it’s full of character, just as the French would like it, but British enough to maintain a touch of reserve.

The Food
For starters, the lobster bisque was light and creamy, although a little too salty—the ballotine of fois gras is a better choice if your morals allow it. Other starters include puff pastry-encased Burgundy snails sautéed in a garlic and parsley butter. The tuna tartare is fantastically zingy and an ideal mid-course appetiser. The main course fillets of sea bass are perfectly grilled and the big wedges of braised fennel—in an olive oil and lemon dressing— are an ideal foil. The roasted duck breast is good, although it could have been more tender, and comes sliced up in a rich port sauce with a satisfying concoction of mashed parsnips, figs and mushrooms. Other mains include the classics such as moules marinieres, cassoulet and coq au vin, as well as fillet of sole and braised veal with mushrooms. For the dessert course, there’s tarte tatin, which is well executed, not overly sweet and arrives with a dollop of ice cream on the top. And the creme brulee and chocolate mousse are just as maman makes them.

The Drink
There is an exhaustive wine list including all the French classics—many from the Bordeaux region—in bottles, half bottles and magnums. For a reasonably priced dependable bottle, there’s the powerful, spicy and smooth Merlot L'Empreinte Languedoc 2005 (about £20.00) or the delicate and perfumed Semillon Domaine de Beaupre 2006 (about £17). Otherwise there’s a judicious Champagne list and a wide and varies selection of ports, cognacs, armagnacs, calvados and eye-watering eau de vies.

The Last Word
Le Bouchon Bordelais will undoubtedly continue to be the local success story it always has been, while providing a perennial treat for Francophile foodies everywhere.

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